Savannah 12 - Rome 2

The Savannah Sand Gnats won twice on Saturday night.

Before the game, outfielder Jared King proposed to his girlfriend Maggie after she threw out a ceremonial first pitch. She said yes, of course.

Once the pitches were real, the Gnats blasted the Rome Braves 12-2 to extend their winning streak to five games, tying a season high. The 10-run winning margin was the largest of the year for Savannah. The Gnats have outscored their opponents 24-5 in those five games.

Savannah scored in each of the first four innings and five of the first six to blow the game open early.

The Braves (8-21) scored the game’s first run on an RBI single from RF Victor Reyes in the top of the first to take a 1-0. The Gnats scored the next 11 runs.

Savannah loaded the bases in the first, and DH Stefan Sabol capitalized with a two-run double down the left field line. King scored on a wild pitch to put Savannah up 3-1.

The Gnats added a run in the second on 2B LJ Mazzilli’s RBI single into left field.

Savannah made it 7-1 with a three-run third. Cather Jeff Glenn singled home a run and SS Gavin Cecchini singled home two more. Cecchini finished 3-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI to extend his personal hitting streak to a season-best six games. Glenn was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

RBI doubles from RF Victor Cruzado and 1B Dominic Smith keyed a four-run fourth that gave the Gnats an 11-1 lead.

Starter John Michael Gant was the beneficiary of the team’s generous run support, tossing five innings, yielding one run on five hits, for the win, his third of 2014.

Every Gnat starter reached safely in the game. 

King finished the game 0-4 with a walk and a run scored on his big night.